1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for making a plurality of electrical harnesses in a single machine cycle of the type including a connector having a housing with insulation displacement type contacts loaded therein, each contact connected to an insulation clad wire.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
More and more, manufacturers of electronic products are relying on electrical harnesses employing insulation displacement type contacts to eliminate some of the inefficiencies and costs associated with other types of electrical connections. A typical electrical harness of the type that is gaining wide acceptance is one which generally comprises a connector having a housing with insulation displacement type contacts loaded therein. Each contact is connected to an insulation clad wire. The wires of a single-ended type of electrical harness are generally of different lengths with different segments of insulation removed from the wire ends opposite the connector. In another type of electrical harness, capable of being manufactured automatically in accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention, wires are terminated to connectors at both ends of the wires. This type of harness is called a double-ended harness.
Because of the desirability of eliminating labor costs, automatic equipment is now being employed to produce single ended electrical harnesses of the type described. One example of such a machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,440, granted on Jan. 30, 1979. In accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,440, connectors are manually loaded into a terminating station, wires are power dereeled to overlie insulation displacement contacts of the connectors, and the wires are inserted into the contacts to terminate the single-ended harness. A relatively sophisticated means of positively driving and feeding the wires is required in the method and apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,440. The wires must be power dereeled from a second station to a first station and be driven by suitable wire feeding means. In accordance with this assignee's prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,806, apparatus is disclosed for making single ended electrical harnesses, one at a time, having an automatic loading and ejecting means. This assignee's prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,370,806 is hereby incorporated by reference.